Rug frame

ABSTRACT

A rug frame for making a rug from elongated strips of flexible material, the frame having rods and a series of pins for arranging twine in rows between the rods on which the strips of material are twisted.

United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,753,273

Roberts Aug. 21, 1973 RUG FRAME 703,815 7/1902 Painter 28/15 Inventor: Rq Quaker y 2,707,316 5/1955 Domger 28/15 Rt. 146A, uxsfifi'misioisq FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 134,148 7/1933 Austria 28/15 [211 App]. No.: 183,043 Primary Examiner-Louis K. Rimrodt Attorney-Norman S. Blodgett [52] US. Cl. 28/15 51] lm. Cl D03d 29/00 [571 ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 28/15; 139/34 A rug frame for making a rug from elongated strips of flexible material, the frame having rods and a series of [56] References Cited pins for arranging twine in rows between the rods on UNITED STATES PATENTS which the strips of material are twisted.

371,468 10/1887 McMaster 28/15 8 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 21, 1973 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

MINNIE M. ROBERTS INVENTOR. BY 4 MIA W A TTORNE Y Patented Aug. 21, 1973 I 3,153,213

4 Sheets-Sheet I FIG. 3

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Patented Aug. 21, 1973 3,753,273

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Patented Aug. 21, 1973 3,753,273

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FIG. II

RUG FRAME BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Through the countless years of history, it has been common practice for housewives to manufacture rugs from various scraps of fabric that appeared in their households. In the United States, for instance, it has been common practice to make braided" rugs in which the raw material consisted'of old rags cut into strips and dyed. One of the problems encountered with this type of rug is that, once the braids are finished, it is necessary to sew them in a spiral conformation; this is not only time-consuming but also the stitches show in the rug. Other rugs that are made from rags include the hooked rug in which the cloth or yarn is pulled through the interstices of a burlap base cloth. A crocheted rug does not ordinarily lend itself to the use of scrap materials; it is generally made from yarn and, therefore, is quite expensive. Most of these homemade rugs have suffered from certain deficiencies; either they are expensive to make, because of the base materials, because their appearance is not satisfactory, or because they wear out easily. These and other difficulties experienced with the prior art devices have been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention.

It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the invention to provide a method for making a rug in whichthe materials used are inexpensive.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a rug frame for manufacturing a durable rug from inexpensive materials.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a rug frame particularly adapted to making rugs in the home from twine and strips of felt.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide a method of making durable rugs from felt.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a method of making rugs which can be carried out in the homeby use of simple apparatus.

With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the-specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In general, the invention consists of a rug frame having a main body of rectangular configuration having two parallel opposed side elements and two parallel opposed end elements. A series of evenly-spaced pins extend from the side elements, the pins being all'generally parallel, and each pin of one side element having acorresponding pin on the other side element. A pair of rods extend in spaced, parallel relationship across the main body from one side element to the other.

In addition, the invention consists of a method for making a rug from elongated strips of flexible material, consisting of the steps of arranging twine in spaced, generally parallel strands in a rectangular pattern, of holding the ends of the twine firmly in place, of providing rods in spaced, parallel relationship externally of the ends of the said rectangular pattern, of looping the bight of the strip around the rod, and of twisting the strip while enclosing a strand of twine in each-twist.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The character of the invention, however, may be best understood by reference to one of its structural forms,

as illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rug frame embodying the principles of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a rug constructed on the rug frame in accordance with the method of the present invention,

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the rug frame,

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the frame, and

FIGS. 5 through ,13' illustrate the steps of the method of making the rug.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. 1, wherein are best shown the general features of the invention, the rug frame, indicated generally by the reference numeral 10, is shown as consisting of a main body 1 l of generally rectangular configuration having two parallel opposed side elements l2 and 13 and two parallel opposed end elements 14 and 15. A brace 16 extends between the side elements 12 and 13 to lend rigidity to the structure.

A series of evenly-spaced vertical pins 17 extend from the side elements 12 and 13, the pins all being generally parallel and each pin of the side element 12 having a corresponding pin on the other side element 13. A pair of rods 18 and 19 extend in spaced, parallel relationship across the main body from the side element 12 to the side element 13.

The rug frame is provided with four legs 21, 22, 23, and 24, each leg extending from a corner of the main body 11 to hold the frame in a generally horizontal position. Each rod is arranged to pass over a side element and extends through a screw-eye 25 located between two adjacent pins 17. Each leg is pivotally attached to the inner surface of a side element by means of a bolt 26 and a latch 27 locks it in place. The legs2l, 22, 23, and24'are, therefore, movable from a first inoperative position nestled within the main body to a second operative position at a right angle to the general plane of the main body. The end elements 14 and 15 are provided, respectively, with racks 28 and 29 to hold strips of material waiting to be used in the formation of the rug. The hook 31 is provided adjacent each end of each of the side elements 12 and 13. Furthermore, a hook 32 extends upwardly from the center of each of the end elements 14 and 15.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the finished rug is formed of a twine 34 and elongated strips 35 of a flexible material, such as felt. In the preferred embodiment, the felt may be four feet long or longer, about one and a half inches wide, and may be used in various colors to bring' about a' pleasing pattern in the finished rug.

The operation of the invention and the use of the method of the inventionwill be clearly understood in view of the above description and in view of FIGS. 4 through 13 of the drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the first step is to cover the rods 18 and 19 with a strip 35 of the felt. The felt is threaded through the two screweyes 25 through which the rod l8-extends and is wrapped around the rod. It can be held in place by short lengths 36 of twine. Each free end of the rod-covering strip is tied back to a hook 31.

FIG. 7 shows the next step; it consists of using a strand 37 of twine to attach the center of the rod 18 to the hook 32. This prevents the rod from bending during the formation of the rug and helps to obtain a rug with a straight end edge. The rod 19 is similarly attached by a strand of twine to the hook 32 located on the end element 15.

In FIG. 8, it can be seen that the next step is to attach the end of a strand 34 of the twine to the hook 31 (which already carries a strip which was wrapped around the rod 18 (but not shown in this drawing). The strand of twine is carried up between the hookeye 25 and the first pin 71 to the right of the screweye.

In FIG. 9, it can be seen that the strand 34 has been carried upwardly between the forward left-hand screweye 25 and the next adjacent pin 71 and is carried across the main body of the frame and passed around the first pin 71 adjacent the rearward left-hand screweye 25. This procedure is carried on all the way across the frame until the right-hand end of the frame adjacent the rod 19 is reached. When completed, the strand of twine lies between the right rear screweye 25 and the next adjacent pin 71 and is fastened to the hook 31 at the rear of the frame.

The material from which the rug is to be made and which forms the strips 35 is assembled in suitable colors and use is made of the racks 28 and 29 at the ends of the frame to hold the strips until they are ready to be used. The starting strip should be about four feet long and its bight is passed around the rod 18 and the first strand of twine in the manner shown in FIGS. and 11. The strip 35 is arranged with uneven end lengths, as shown in FIG. 10. The two ends of the strips are then twisted in the manner shown in FIG. 12, so that the 180 twist forms a loop which surrounds both the rod 18, its original covering of felt, and the first strand 34 oftwine. By a twist" is meant a 180 turning of the two strips, so that the strip which was on the bottom is on the top, and vice versa. The underneath end of the strip 35 is then passed under the second strand, while the upper one passes over it. The two are then twisted 180 so that the second strand of twine lies between two twists. This operation is continued until the end of the row is reached adjacent the rod 19.

FIG. 13 shows the manner in which the last twist at the right-hand end is accomplished. After the last twist, following the next to the last cross-strand 34 of twine, the ends of the strip are separated; one of them is passed over the last strand 34 and over the rod 19, while the other one is passed between the last strand and the rod. The two are joined together under the rug and carried up on the inner side of the first row, i.e., toward the center of the rug. After a single twist, the procedure is repeated, going back in the other direction along the frame beside the first row.

It is desirable to begin a row at the back side of the frame at the same time as one begins a row at the front and work three or four rows at a time alternately. In this way, eventually, the rows meet in the middle and there is room for squeezing in just one more row. This last middle row is formed by using a large curved needle known as a baling needle which is normally used in sewing burlap.

At the end of the last row, the two ends of the strip are separated and one is passed in each direction along the rod within the loops on each side. There will, of course, be four such ends, if the worker has been working from both sides of the frame. During the laying of the rows, the operator uses a rod and a mallet to press each row tightly and evenly against the already-finished rows. Naturally, when the end of a strip is reached, an-

other length is sewed on to it. The operation, which has been described in connection with FIG. 13 for the end of the row adjacent a rod, is used to pull the strand of twine adjacent the rod tightly against the rod to insure that a straight end is provided for the rug. It also assures that only one thickness of strip exists in the loop which surrounds the rod at both ends; otherwise, a double thickness would appear.

In order to finish the rug, it is only necessary to work the edges of the rug upwardly along the pins 71 little by little until they are free. It is then possible to remove the rods 18 and 19 and the rug is free of the frame. It is only necessary to sew up the ends of the corner loops that were formerly around the rods. Using a large needle, the free ends of the twine (which had formerly been attached to the hooks 31) are threaded through the end loops.

By making judicious use of different colors of fabric in the strips, it is possible to obtain various designs. In the preferred embodiment, felt is used for the material, since this is one of the least expensive fabrics available and it has considerable durability. It is also available in very bright colors, so that an extremely interesting rug pattern can be obtained.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, however, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

The invention having been thus described, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A rug frame, comprising:

a. a main body of rectangular configuration having two parallel opposed side elements and two parallel opposed end elements,

b. a series of evenly spaced pins extending from the side elements, the pins being all generally parallel and each pin of one side element having a corresponding pin on the other side element, and

c. a pair of rods extending in spaced parallel relationship across the main body from one side element to the other, parallel to the end elements and spaced from the end elements a distance along the side elements.

2. A rug frame as recited in claim 1, wherein a leg extends from each comer of the main body to hold the frame in a generally horizontal position.

3. A rug frame as recited in claim 2, wherein each leg is pivotally attached to a side element adjacent an end of the main body to permit it to be folded to an inoperative horizontal position, and a latch is provided to hold it in operative vertical position.

4. A rug frame as recited in claim 1, wherein each rod as it passes over a side element passes through a screweye located between two adjacent pins.

5. A rug frame as recited in claim 1, wherein each end element is provided with a rack to hold strips of material.

6. A rug frame as recited in claim 1, wherein a hook is provided on each side element adjacent each end.

7. A rug frame as recited in claim 1, wherein a hook extends upwardly from the center of each end element.

8. A rug frame as recited in claim 1, wherein means is provided by which a central portion of each rod is mechanically connected to an end element.

0 I t t 

1. A rug frame, comprising: a. a main body of rectangular configuration having two parallel opposed side elements and two parallel opposed end elements, b. a series of evenly spaced pins extending from the side elements, the pins being all generally parallel and each pin of one side element having a corresponding pin on the other side element, and c. a pair of rods extending in spaced parallel relationship across the main body from one side element to the other, parallel to the end elements and spaced from the end elements a distance along the side elements.
 2. A rug frame as recited in claim 1, wherein a leg extends from each corner of the main body to hold the frame in a generally horizontal position.
 3. A rug frame as recited in claim 2, wherein each leg is pivotally attached to a side element adjacent an end of the main body to permit it to be folded to an inoperative horizontal position, and a latch is provided to hold it in operative vertical position.
 4. A rug frame as recited in claim 1, wherein each rod as it passes over a side element passes through a screweye located between two adjacent pins.
 5. A rug frame as recited in claim 1, wherein each end element is provided with a rack to hold strips of material.
 6. A rug frame as recited in claim 1, wherein a hook is provided on each side element adjacent each end.
 7. A rug frame as recited in claim 1, wherein a hook extends upwardly from the center of each end element.
 8. A rug frame as recited in claim 1, wherein means is provided by which a central portion of each rod is mechanically connected to an end element. 